Fishing question?????

[msinc]

I want to take my son on a nice fishing trip...he's a kid, so I don't want to go out in the ocean and troll around for a prize marlin or sailfish, 6 1/2 hours of which is just trolling around getting cooked by the sun to reel in one fish.
I would like to go someplace and fish for something that is kind of plentiful but yet not just a bunch of little ones either. I realize and do not expect non-stop action for three days but again, don't want to pay for a fishing trip that was long on boat ride and short on catching fish.
Maine to Florida, maybe even the Bahamas...any suggestions????? Thanks in advance for any info.

Edit: He has mentioned that it might be fun to go someplace and catch a few sharks....personally, I don't care, as long as we have some fun.

 

[LittleCooner]

Not a big fisherman here, a shooter and hunter. Something to look at in Florida, Charlotte Harbor area on the gulf coast is the hot bed for Tarpon and the harbor has some great spots for snook and sea bass. I do fish some there with the guides and sometimes the Tarpon fishing off the beach is non stop. Most fun ever fishing - those trips to the Rocky mountains this time of year camping and using ultra light rods and spinner on trout. Sometimes the action was non stop and we would clean them as we caught them and cook them as quick as we returned to camp. The boys still have photos of some of those trips on the walls today, memories that will last a lifetime. What every you decide - TAKE THAT BOY FISHING. And take a camera with you also. No guides in the Rockies, we discovered, get off the beaten path, find a place to pitch a tent and go to the nearest stream, any small pool would yield a couple of fish, then move on down stream.

 

[Salty RI]

You didn't say his age, maybe you should take him out on a head boat, you should have some in your area.

 

[Skeet 028]

Head boat out of Ocean City or some other fishing pier.. even Rock fishing out of Rock Hall or Cambridge. Wait till the blues are running in the bay. Used to take my kids fishing for blues and rock when they were breaking on top later summer. Or not cheap but go to Hatteras when the yellowfins are running either go trolling or chunking at night. Used to do that a couple times a year. If you have access to a fair sized boat go chunkin for Tuna off Indian River in Delaware. Long trip out and back..so check weather..50 miles on the ocean is a LONG way..but doable. Go fish. How old is your son? I caught a 50 lb Cobia on a OC headboat many years ago..Memorable to say the least.

 

[doublesharp]

Lake Okeechobee, hire a guide and bass fish out of Lakeport.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jypOQ7Opy5A[/ame]

 

[reddogge]

I live in MD and we go to Lake Champlain, VT every year. If the weather is good you can catch 60-70 really nice largemouth and smallmouth bass a day. I'm talking average 2.5#-3# with the occaisional 4-5# bass. Not as big as those FL bass but the action is non stop and mostly Senko and top water fishing. It's the best bass fishing I've ever had. Contact me for where to stay and fish.

 

[BigBill]

Go large mouth bass, small mouth, panfishing at your local ponds and lakes. Live bait for panfishing, lures for bass.

 

[Jessie]

When you figure it out, let me know, ok?
I'd love to know where and when to go to catch that perfect fish.
I would suggest a good bass lake. Nothing like hooking a largemouth with a surface lure to get someone hooked on fishing.

 

[vigil617]

Why even leave Maryland, when you have the Bay right at your doorstep?

Gotta be some inshore guides who will put you on the fish, depending on the season. Striped bass, for sure. Not a long car or boat ride, good action for fish that will pull hard, and plenty of spots to choose from. Fresh, salt, or brackish water.

An embarrassment of riches you have there.

Tight lines!

 

[msinc]

Thanks for the info so far fellas!!!!! We can fish the bay and rivers right here anytime and often do. We also have 4 bass ponds loaded with bass, bluegills and crappie on our property. Don't see too many bluefish these days, they just don't seem to come up in the Chesapeake like they did years ago. We were just looking for something different and also to make a vacation out of it. I guess this is the wrong time of year for Florida to fish the gulf??? I went a few years back with wifey. MIL lives in Ocala so we went out of {I think} Crystal Springs??? Had a reasonably good time, but all the fish were really small. 12 miles out in the gulf and we could see bottom...good thing...if the boat breaks down we could get out and walk to shore.

 

[Leslie Sapp]

You probably went out from Crystal River. Not a bad choice of places to go if you can find a guide who will take you out for black sea bass. They are small (1-2lbs), but sometimes you can catch them one after another all day long.
They are also one of the tastiest fish out there. I've often said, "If they got as big as a grouper, I wouldn't fish for anything else."

 

[Jessie]

I'm not sure, but that last pic looked like a snake fish. If so, I hope you killed it. They are bad news.

 

[rwsmith]

Just find a guide...

I've had good luck with guides for a few hours of freshwater and offshore fishing.

 

[Fishinfool]

If you want to try something a little different, maybe try booking a charter on lake Ontario (NY side). This time of year, the salmon fishing can be good off shore, not to mention lake trout, browns, and steelhead. Mostly trolling the thermocline. Small mouth fishing is excellent near shore on the bottom, using worm / minnow rigs, or crayfish as bait. You can book a full day trip for about $500. Usually all the gear and fish cleaning is provided.

Larry

 

[msinc]

You probably went out from Crystal River. Not a bad choice of places to go if you can find a guide who will take you out for black sea bass. They are small (1-2lbs), but sometimes you can catch them one after another all day long.
They are also one of the tastiest fish out there. I've often said, "If they got as big as a grouper, I wouldn't fish for anything else."

That's it. Crystal River!!! We did in fact catch a few black sea bass...the neatest thing we caught that day was ladyfish...aka "poor mans tarpon." They were not real big but they tail walked just abotu the entire time they were hooked.
I said if I do that trip again I would take a bowfishing rig...we saw huge stingrays all day long.

 

[msinc]

I'm not sure, but that last pic looked like a snake fish. If so, I hope you killed it. They are bad news.

Yes, that is a snakehead alright...the boy actually saw it in the little stream behind my house {feeds into the Potomac River} one night while we were coonhunting. When I say little stream, it is like 3 feet wide and 5-6 inches deep!!! Yes, we did in fact kill it, illegal in Md. not to. I have to say that they are as good to eat as everyone claims. Very firm white meat and absolutely zero fishy smell or flavor.

 

[msinc]

If you want to try something a little different, maybe try booking a charter on lake Ontario (NY side). This time of year, the salmon fishing can be good off shore, not to mention lake trout, browns, and steelhead. Mostly trolling the thermocline. Small mouth fishing is excellent near shore on the bottom, using worm / minnow rigs, or crayfish as bait. You can book a full day trip for about $500. Usually all the gear and fish cleaning is provided.

Larry

I actually was thinking about Canada for some pike fishing.

 

[jtcarm]

There's bound to be some striped bass lakes in the area you mention.

It's kinda late in the year here in TX, but find a good striper lake and guide to take you out. They can get you into lots of fish. Stripers can get very big, over 30lbs (rare), but on a good lake with a good guide you'll boat lots of 2-10 ponders.

They're a schooling fish, so once you get into them, the action can be fast & furious,

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Why even leave Maryland, when you have the Bay right at your doorstep?

Gotta be some inshore guides who will put you on the fish, depending on the season. Striped bass, for sure. Not a long car or boat ride, good action for fish that will pull hard, and plenty of spots to choose from. Fresh, salt, or brackish water.

An embarrassment of riches you have there.

Tight lines!

ya know-that's what I was thinking.

Down here in coastal Louisiana it is absolutely glorious for fishing.
The center of the universe is Venice down at the mouth of the river. You can offshore troll, fish the rigs, stay inshore for specs and reds or bass. Yes Bass. there is fresh water fishing to be had down there as well. Check Google map and look at the satelite images. Look how close the canyons are to the mouth of the river! Now compare that to the rest of the US and you'll see why Venice is the best jump off for offshore. Couple that with the incredible inside fishing in all the marsh and there is not much more that one can ask for.

As an aside, I would love to take some time to explore the Chesapeake-I imagine it's coastal fishing is every bit the equal of what we have down here.

As far as Florida, without offending I hope, My son and I were in Destin a few years back and were walking the docks and came across a "successful" charter trip return where they were taking pictures of the fish . My son and I looked at each other smiled and walked on. We both agreed that it we had paid for a charter and caught 10-20 fish as little as those were we would be HOT A good guide in Louisiana can put you on limits of trout (50) and reds (5) in a half day trip. A rig trip counts success by the boxes of fish they bring back. Offshore is a **** shoot however just as everywhere. Best trip I was ever on we brought home 4 yellowfin and some dolphin and released 2 blue marlin and one white-but that don't happen too often

 

[Jessie]

Yes, that is a snakehead alright...the boy actually saw it in the little stream behind my house {feeds into the Potomac River} one night while we were coonhunting. When I say little stream, it is like 3 feet wide and 5-6 inches deep!!! Yes, we did in fact kill it, illegal in Md. not to. I have to say that they are as good to eat as everyone claims. Very firm white meat and absolutely zero fishy smell or flavor.

Yep, Snakehead. Thanks for correcting that.
3" deep, I guess they do get everywhere!